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Thread: 7.4.2 - KDE brain damage fixes - ep.1 - Xscreensaver by Bill Gates

  1. #1
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    7.4.2 - KDE brain damage fixes - ep.1 - Xscreensaver by Bill Gates

    The last time I did a Knoppix remaster was in 2008 when I performed a full brain transplant on Knoppix 5.3.1. I called it Electronnix.
    I stuffed it with pretty much everything ever crossed my mind, from 64 loop devices, iso and partition/cloop images creation with a click from konqueror (with or without encryption), iso and partition/cloop images mounting the same way from konqueror, completely rearanged KDE Start Menu (menu entries sorted logically and new cathegories added where needed), new programs installed that I needed (electronics and CAD mostly), all the way to 28 new kernels added on top of the existing 2.6.24.4, with PAE enabled so I can make full use of 4GB or more RAM, updated and multiple versions of hardware drivers selectable on boot prompt, a second Xorg server (1.6.5) besides the existing 1.4.0.90 and so on.

    My point is: since 2005 I never used Microsh*t again, thanks to Mr. Knopper's excellent work providing this great Linux distro. Also since then I never had to keep a HDD inside my computer. Everything is running on USB Flash sticks.
    And I used it every day for everything I ever needed to do with my computer. 100% useful.

    For those who remember, it had KDE 3.5.9, which was really a work of art. Basically everything was customizable and it had a ton of features.

    Since I wasted a whole lot of time remastering this, I also strategically stockpiled quite a number of motherboards from that generation (2008 or earlier) so I can make sure I will still be able to run this remaster for enough time in the future.
    (Luckily there are strong signs the current future will end in about 7 years tops)

    Quite recently though I started having problems with certain sites, who stopped accepting old version of web browsers I had acces to in my Electronnix.

    Building new browser versions from source in this old Linux is impossible because of zillions of newer dependency requirements, so I started looking at the Knoppix releases after 5.3.1. And I was really disappointed to see the GNU world took a turn for the worst. KDE became dumb and dumber, basically every piece of software started bearing the mark of brain damage.

    And let me be clear, I'm not talking here about Mr. Knopper's work which is excellent as always, but he can only do so much. He can only take a snapshot of the existing GNU software at a particular moment and put it in a new Knoppix release. He's not responsible for what Debian programmers and the rest of GNU come up with.

    And lately (after 2008 ) it looks like GNU got some serious brain damage. That only proves my old theory: ever since the creation, the amount of intelligence on the planet was a constant. The population expanded exponentially though hence the visible effects... Either that or Microsh*t actually paid off most of the KDE and GNU developers so they can dumb down the software they write, on purpose. Not that Windblows 7 is any better, but anyway...

    So in this episode I will try to lend a hand to those who stumbled upon the same problem as me: in Knoppix 7.4.2, right after the midnight of 2014 Dec 31, at X startup I started seeing a big splash yelling at me that Xscreensaver is too old and I had to upgrade it, and that if my distro maintainer put this version of Xscreensaver in it, they did me a great disservice. Or something like that. And of course the very intelligent author of this Xscreenloser put his copyright there along with his web site address and name so anyone can praise him. Starting 2015 Jan 01, 00:00.

    Yeah right!

    So if you wonder how you can get rid of this BS(c?) which landed in K7.4.2 courtesy of a New Age Superficial Intelligence, here's how I did it: (NOTE: EVERYTHING DESCRIBED BELOW IS EXECUTED IN THE ORIGINAL KNOPPIX 7.4.2 LIVE ENVIRONMENT)

    Googling around I found this:

    https://build.netitwork.net/package/...patch?expand=1

    It's a patch for this exact problem, only not for xscreensaver-5.26-1 (which is in K7.4.2) but for 5.22.
    But it was a starting point. I downloaded the sources for xscreensaver-5.26-1 from snapshot.debian.org:

    xscreensaver_5.26.orig.tar.gz and xscreensaver_5.26-1.diff.gz

    Then:

    Code:
    tar -xzf xscreensaver_5.26.orig.tar.gz
    cd xscreensaver-5.26
    zcat ../xscreensaver_5.26-1.diff.gz" | patch -p1   ### this gave me the same version as in K7.4.2
    Then I proceeded to manually modify the files (as described by the patch mentioned above) in the "xscreensaver-5.26" source tree. This way I obtained a bugfixed (or braindamagefixed?) source tree.

    Then I had to install some missing dependencies. I manually downloaded the files below from snapshot.debian.org:

    Code:
    libxml2-dev_2.9.1+dfsg1-4_i386.deb
    gir1.2-gtk-2.0_2.24.24-1_i386.deb
    libgtk2.0-dev_2.24.24-1_i386.deb
    libglade2-dev_2.6.4-2_i386.deb
    I also did "
    Code:
    apt-get clean
    " and "
    Code:
    apt-get update
    ". Before this though, depending on your location you might want to go in /etc/apt/sources.list and change the ".de." to something more close to you (for instance I changed to ".us.")

    Then I did this:

    Code:
    dpkg -i libxml2-dev_2.9.1+dfsg1-4_i386.deb
    dpkg -i gir1.2-gtk-2.0_2.24.24-1_i386.deb
    dpkg -i libgtk2.0-dev_2.24.24-1_i386.deb
    dpkg -i libglade2-dev_2.6.4-2_i386.deb
    apt-get install fortune-mod libpam0g-dev xutils-dev libjpeg-dev libgle-dev intltool libxmu-dev libxpm-dev libxss-dev quilt
    and then I rebuilt the debian packages by going back in the "xscreensaver-5.26" source dir and typing:

    Code:
    dpkg-buildpackage -us -uc
    This resulted in the xscreensaver-5.26-1 debian packages (re)generated right beside the "xscreensaver-5.26" directory:

    Code:
    xscreensaver_5.26-1.dsc
    xscreensaver_5.26-1_i386.changes
    xscreensaver_5.26-1_i386.deb
    xscreensaver-data_5.26-1_i386.deb
    xscreensaver-data-extra_5.26-1_i386.deb
    xscreensaver-gl_5.26-1_i386.deb
    xscreensaver-gl-extra_5.26-1_i386.deb
    xscreensaver-screensaver-bsod_5.26-1_i386.deb
    xscreensaver-screensaver-webcollage_5.26-1_i386.deb
    Of all these packages you only need to install one:

    Code:
    dpkg -i xscreensaver_5.26-1_i386.deb
    This will overwrite the existing package in K7.4.2 and get rid of the dumb advertising splash at every restart.

    Of course I'm assuming you do all this in a chroot environment in the unpacked KNOPPIX filesystem, after which you repack the filesystem back in a KNOPPIX cloop file. Personally I did not get there yet since I still have to dig around a while to try and find more brain damage to fix (another one is konqueror, see next episode).

    So personally I just use a knoppix.sh script placed in the KNOPPIX directory (I copied the original DVD on a flash stick) which is executed at the end of knoppix-autoconfig right before X starts. This way when X starts, xscreensaver-5.26-1 is already properly trepanated and doesn't behave stupidly anymore.

    I'm attaching here the final patch I obtained (to be applied directly against xscreensaver-5.26-1). Hopefully the attachment will make it through...
    Attached Files Attached Files

  2. #2
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    as an alternative...

    FWIW
    I'm using Knoppix 7.4.2.
    It only took about five minutes to upgrade screensaver to 5.30 using Synaptic.
    Its author errs in using a pop-up approach to tell us to upgrade, that's all.
    This screensaver is a classic; I think we should overlook a small social error.

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by utu View Post
    FWIW
    I'm using Knoppix 7.4.2.
    It only took about five minutes to upgrade screensaver to 5.30 using Synaptic.
    Its author errs in using a pop-up approach to tell us to upgrade, that's all.
    This screensaver is a classic; I think we should overlook a small social error.
    Hm, "error"?? Well guess what, this "error" has been there at least since version 5.22. If this was a true "error", the almighty copyright owner would have fixed it by now, wouldn't he? What I see is he did not and instead people came up with a patch long before I posted this message, hence what I said remains true: "the very intelligent author of this Xscreen***er put his copyright there along with his web site address and name so anyone can praise him. Starting 2015 Jan 01, 00:00."

    And what do you call upgrading? The necessity to install the whole thing on a HDD like a regular OS? Or to keep maintaining an everinflating persistent image? That defeats the very purpose of a Live Linux. I don't need that. If I do any upgrades/changes I do it once and forever, by remastering. After that, the OS will stay frozen in its compressed image. No system breakdown, corruption, viruses, defragmenting and other garbage. So the Microsoftian idea of upgrading things forever and ever is not applicable here. And no way because some superficial intelligence yells at me to do that every time I start the OS. I get anough of this garbage at work where I still have to put up with Micro**it.

    But that's beside the point. Nobody forces anybody to do Open Source programming. If one has Microsoftian impulses why don't they go work for Micro**it and spare us? I'm fed up with these people. If this XscreenBS is copyrighted, why isn't it taken out of the GNU pool? What's it still doimg here??? I don't need this kind of garbage in my OS. besides, I really can't find ONE SINGLE SCREENSAVER in the whole damn thing thet I can say I honestly can get along with !! I could really extirpate this garbage completely and I might end up doing just that. A waste of space.

  4. #4
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    .
    I don't think you give the screensaver author sufficient credit for his
    diligence in creating a quality product and trying to keep it up-to-date.

    I think he may often feel compromised by intermediaries between himself and
    users in the timely dissemination of material he keeps up-to-date. His angst
    indicated in a pop-up is nominally directed at a distributor, but we all
    know the user is also often at fault in keeping things up-to-date.

    The screensaver is also an excellent test of computer video capabilities,
    it might be added.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by utu View Post
    .
    I don't think you give the screensaver author sufficient credit for his
    diligence in creating a quality product and trying to keep it up-to-date.

    I think he may often feel compromised by intermediaries between himself and
    users in the timely dissemination of material he keeps up-to-date. His angst
    indicated in a pop-up is nominally directed at a distributor, but we all
    know the user is also often at fault in keeping things up-to-date.
    OK, but look, here we are, users of Knoppix, which is basically a Live Linux Environment. I don't know about you, but my reasons to make this my one and only OS (after heavy remastering) was especially that I could have a Read Only forever nailed and neverchanging OS, one that I would be able to use 20 years from now just the same as I use it today, imune to viruses, bad clusters and all the plagues. Time limit popups in a program that's part of it are simply going right against this idea. This is simply something contrary to the very principle of "user friendly" software. So what it's old version?? I DON'T CARE!! Spare me with the update, please, mr. program maintainer. The latest is not necessary the greatest! Just look at Micro****.

    You know, I only started to get involved with Knoppix 7.4.2 (hence new generation of Debian, KDE, etc) because i like very much Mr. Knopper's style of packing his distribution and because lately the internet is not very accessible with the browsers in my old K5.3.1 remaster. So basically I will use 7.4.2 only for internet access. The main load of my activity will still be done in my old remaster which is by far the friendliest OS I ever had. Also took me years of fine tuning to get it to this level.

    But my principle is, if I start driving a new car, then the steering wheel might as well be useful, mightn't it?

  6. #6
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    .
    You've been with Knoppix longer than most of us still here on this forum.
    It's clear you don't complain all that often, and you have all the skills
    to make your linux whatever you want. I am impressed you can make any
    configuration last so long. I break mine regularly trying new things.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by utu View Post
    .
    You've been with Knoppix longer than most of us still here on this forum.
    It's clear you don't complain all that often, and you have all the skills
    to make your linux whatever you want. I am impressed you can make any
    configuration last so long. I break mine regularly trying new things.
    I don't know about that, but I think there are millions out there much more skilled than me.
    All I do is put my mind on something and not quitting until I find the way through.
    I only know enough to get what i need done.

    That's why I post these things, because if there's somebody else out there looking for a solution for the same thing, at least they won't waste a whole lot of time figuring out how to do it. They'll just waste the time it takes to do it.

  8. #8
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    I think. it's time to calm down and read the statement of the author which I found as a quotation.
    Code:
    Bool
    senescent_p (void)
    {
      /* If you are in here because you're planning on disabling this warning
         before redistributing my software, please don't.
    
         I sincerely request that you do one of the following:
    
             1: leave this code intact and this warning in place, -OR-
    
             2: Remove xscreensaver from your distribution.
    
         I would seriously prefer that you not distribute my software at all
         than that you distribute one version and then never update it for
         years.
    
         I am *constantly* getting email from users reporting bugs that have
         been fixed for literally years who have no idea that the software
         they are running is years out of date.  Yes, it would be great if we
         lived in the ideal world where people checked that they were running
         the latest release before they report a bug, but we don't.  To most
         people, "running the latest release" is synonymous with "running the
         latest release that my distro packages for me."
    
         When they even bother to tell me what version they're running, I
         say, "That version is three years old!", and they say "But this is
         the latest version my distro ships".  Then I say, "your distro
         sucks", and they say "but I don't know how to compile from source,
         herp derp I eat paste", and *everybody* goes away unhappy.
    
         It wastes an enormous amount of my time, and kind of makes me regret
         ever having released this software in the first place.
    
         So seriously. I ask that if you're planning on disabling this
         obsolescence warning, that you instead just remove xscreensaver from
         your distro entirely.  Everybody will be happier that way.  Check
         out gnome-screensaver instead, I understand it's really nice.
    
         Of course, my license allows you to ignore me and do whatever the
         xxxxxxx you want, but as the author, I hope you will have the common
         courtesy of complying with my request.
    
         Thank you!
    
         jwz, 2014
    And if we have a look at his side "What's New" it 's a bad idea to waste a lot tof time by hacking an out of date version of xscreensaver instead of install the latest version within a minimal time.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Werner P. Schulz View Post
    I think. it's time to calm down and read the statement of the author which I found as a quotation.
    Code:
    Bool
    senescent_p (void)
    {
      /* If you are in here because you're planning on disabling this warning
         before redistributing my software, please don't.
    
         I sincerely request that you do one of the following:
    
             1: leave this code intact and this warning in place, -OR-
    
             2: Remove xscreensaver from your distribution.
    
         I would seriously prefer that you not distribute my software at all
         than that you distribute one version and then never update it for
         years.
    
         Thank you!
    
         jwz, 2014
    And if we have a look at his side "What's New" it 's a bad idea to waste a lot tof time by hacking an out of date version of xscreensaver instead of install the latest version within a minimal time.
    OK, look, honestly, I understand and agree with what you're saying. I also understand the programmer's point of view.
    It's not that I want to taunt the programmer now by doing the exact opposite of what he asks politely.
    Believe me, that's not the problem.

    My point is this:

    He's talking about those persons in positions like Klaus Knopper's, who actually come up with different Linux distros and distribute them.
    He's talking about distribution maintainers. And I don't think Mr. Knopper will ever do what I'm suggesting here.
    First of all, he might not even find out about an issue like this. It doesn't pop out all the time, only when the time limit expires.
    Second, I think he has much better challenges to deal with.

    Whereas I posted this thread for the lowest users, you know, regular G.I. Joes like me, who are just looking for a fix to include in their own OS for personal use.
    Why? Because, like I said, one of the reasons someone chooses Knoppix is that the OS is Read Only, you can just keep in on a disc or a R/O SD Card and forget about system crashes, viruses, defrags etc. The very strong word here is "NO UPDATING REQUIRED EVER". A time limit anywhere in something like this is absurd.
    Taking it out of the system completely (uninstalling it) is indeed an option, but before doing so one needs to figure out if there are other packages they still need which would have to be extirpated too... you know the dependency nightmare in Linux!

    And I really have no intention to distribute this modified K7.4.2 to anyone.
    I just need something that works fuss-free. For me only, for good and forever.
    And I expect there are others like me.

    Yes i understand that a normal OS is mandatory to update regularly!. But this is not a regular OS.
    One doesn't necessary have to use K7.4.2 on a computer connected to any network.
    You can just use it for debugs or whatever on a totally isolated (older) mainboard.
    This is basically a time snapshot OS. You just take it for what it is, forever after.

    So here: for conformance, I make this official statement:

    "I do not by any means endorse, advise or suggest that the reader of this thread use the information presented here in order to include a version of xscreensaver modified as above in a Linux distribution meant for public distribution. Please don't.
    The information presented here is for end-users only with the sincere recommendation that they keep the modified version of this software (xscreensaver) for themselves only and that they never complain about bugs they might find (if any) in this software version in the future.
    Use it at your own risk, don't complain if you do so.
    In case you have complains, please update to the latest version first and then reevaluate your complains.

    Thank you

    chris_Xnest"
    Last edited by chris_Xnest; 01-04-2015 at 02:41 AM.

  10. #10
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    GREAT words about Micros*it, I wish Bill Gates III was locked away in prison forever!

    Quote Originally Posted by chris_Xnest View Post
    Hm, "error"?? Well guess what, this "error" has been..
    GREAT words about Micros*it



    ------------------
    Full quote deleted.
    Last edited by Werner P. Schulz; 01-30-2015 at 11:14 AM. Reason: mistake in characterization

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